Woods

Etymology and Origin

Woods is an English and Scottish surname, primarily a variant of Wood. The root name Wood is derived from Old English wudu meaning "wood" or "forest". It originally denoted someone who lived in or worked in a forest. The addition of the plural or possessive suffix -s in Woods may indicate a patronymic origin ("son of Wood") or a topographic sense referring to a dweller near the woods.

Regional variants include Attwood and Atwood (literally "at the wood"), common in southern England. The surname is frequent in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia.

Geographical Distribution

As a placename, Woods appears in several locations: an unincorporated community in Liberty County, Florida; a coal town in Floyd County, Kentucky; a locality in Tillamook County, Oregon; a community in Carling Township, Ontario, Canada; and a locality near Owen, South Australia.

Key Facts

• Meaning: Variant of Wood, "dweller in or near a wood"
• Origin: English, Scottish
• Type: Topographic / Patronymic
• Usage Regions: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia